I love video games but I just don’t have the time to devote to them. I intentionally don’t have a video game console because I know it will be bad for my time management. My only opportunities to scratch the itch is when I visit friends or family that have gaming systems. In fact, it took a depressingly long time (just last summer) for me to actually strap on a VR headset and try a fully immersive gaming experience.
My buddy was happy to get me acquainted with his games, but he was a little embarrassed because he hadn’t yet upgraded his 1st-gen equipment. Although I was completely engrossed in the game, he was dissatisfied with something he called “the screen door effect” in his older VR goggles.
I didn’t notice until he pointed it out – when you look around in VR environments using older gear, there’s a slight haze over everything, as if you’re looking through a screen door or a screen in a window frame. The cause of this effect is due to the fact that the display of a VR headset is so close to your eyes. Sometimes you can see the gaps between pixels, and the result is similar to looking through a screen door or the insect net that covers a window.
Since the whole experience was new to me, I didn’t have any complaints. But my little sister has a newer setup. Playing her system taught me something about public speaking that I hadn’t realized.
The Screen Door Onstage
I recently visited my sister in California and played some VR on her Playstation 5. The gameplay was more improved and immersive, but this time I was on the lookout for that screen door effect. There was still a faint barrier between my eyes and the visual depth the graphics were projecting. It definitely created a feeling of separation between the player and the visual environment. I’m not complaining. In fact, I played way too much and stayed up way too late. I really enjoyed it.
Anyway, last week I gave a brief presentation to about 130 people. While I was onstage, I noticed the screen door effect, not because I was using VR, but because of my mindset while presenting the information. You see, the information that was being presented had nothing to do with me. It filled it’s own space between me and the audience as it was being revealed, and although the audience may have been staring at me, it was clear from their expressions that they were focusing on that information. I believe this might be helpful to some of you out there suffering from public speaking anxiety.
The Screen Door and Public Speaking Anxiety
Public speaking anxiety is a big issue that can greatly influence a person’s career. There are loads of different techniques that work for people in different ways depending on their personality type and learning styles. As a public speaking coach I’ve always thought that it’s a bit strange that I have some social anxiety but very little speaking anxiety. I’ve now come to the conclusion that it’s because of this “screen door effect.”
For example, have you ever been speaking to someone that was listening so attentively that they seemed to be staring dreamily into your eyes? You might sense that they’re lost in thought. So you give them a minute to process the information. While they’re thinking so deeply you might wonder, “Their eyes are open, but what are they even looking at?” To me, this is the screen door effect, and you’ll notice it onstage constantly if your information is valuable.
This is important because if your anxiety is based on worry about how you look to others, you may realize that people aren’t even looking at you. You may sense the presence of an almost invisible barrier that exists between you and your audience while you present information. The information and your technique starts to take center stage – not who you are, how you look, or whether you’re going to fail or succeed.
Preparation, Practice, and Hiding Behind the Screen
I recently had to make screen frames for my windows to keep the summer mosquitos outside, where they belong. That obviously took planning, measuring, picking up materials, and assembling the screens. Now, I regularly see mosquitos held back by that slight but powerful barrier, and I don’t fear having my windows open and being exposed to the threat of being bitten.
In the same way, when our speech preparation and practice create a valuable presentation, we can confidently hide behind that information – installing between our audience and ourselves an invention due its own evaluation. This can take a lot of pressure off of ourselves.
Practice Behind a Screen Door
One of the things that can have a big impact on your preparation is exposure therapy, or practicing in small doses to lessen your fears. What better way to do that than with a VR screen door? Feel free to check out a VR audience to help you settle your nerves. You can access that free resource by clicking HERE.
Ultimately, I learned that the “screen door effect” was only an issue in VR after someone pointed it out to me. Left to my own opinion, I would’ve loved both versions without judgement. So make a concentrated effort to focus on the content and technique of your presentations. If you know that what you present is high-quality, your audience may never notice your flaws. And if they don’t notice them, then there’s no reason to be anxious.
